Underquilts

For all the kayak hammock campers…

I’m in the process of shopping for an underquilt for my hammock. I’m wanting a good quality quilt that packs down relatively small (in a dry bag). My goal is to have my sleep system all in one dry bag, but if my underquilt has to have a specific dry bag it’s not a deal breaker. So far the lowest temps I’ve seen camping is in the mid 20’s. The brands I’ve looked at so far are UGQ, Hammock Gear, Cedar ridge.

Can anyone share any experience with any of these quilts, or any others that still offer good quality?

Try looking through this list at CleverHiker:

Best Backpacking Quilts

No relationship to me, etc. etc.

Thanks for the link. Unless I missed something, those are all top quilts.

Yeah, they have a few underquilts listed on a separate page where they reviewed hammocks.

Best Backpacking Hammocks

Near the bottom of that page.

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Are you looking for down or synthetic?
I have have a 20° synthetic from Simply Light Designs (SLD) that I really like. I also have a 40° down shorty from Loco Libre that I’m still trying to get used to the suspension method.
I do have a 20° down top quilt from UGQ that is top quality and a much cheaper 40° from Jacks Are Better (JRB) that I feel is just ok though some people love them.

I haven’t yet been sold on HG’s stuff but I find CR’s UP synthetic to be of interest over the standard climashield synthetic.

I could probably go on for a while w/ hammock stuff but let’s start there. :grin:

Yeah there’s a lot of discussion material with hammocks!

Im not hard set either way as far as synthetic vs down, I just haven’t had any experience with synthetic. Does your synthetic compress as well as the down? From what I understand synthetic is a little more forgiving with moisture, is this correct?

Have you had any issues with your UGQ? They look like they are good quality through my phone screen.

There is no way that the synthetic will pack as small or be as light. For example, my 20° SLD UQ can get stuffed into a 20lt compression dry bag, but I can put both of my 40° down quilts into a 14lt w/ room to spare. Of course my 40° UQ is short (only 50" long) but even full length it would still go in.

The thought is that synthetic can resist loosing it’s heat retention even if a bit damp where down can not, BUT there is now several venders using treated down that resists getting wet.

As far as UGQ, I love the custom TQ I got but as far as an UQ I’m not sold on the “taco” style UQs. After using SLDs UQ all winter I really like that style of UQ. Of course he doesn’t use down. So now I’m looking at possibly modding my short down Loco Libre summer quilt by adding it to one of SLDs UQ protectors (UQP) that I already have.
I picked up that shorty for summer bike & backpacking because it’s so small.

So for me I think the SLD if you have the room and weight isn’t the biggest issue, or Warbonnets Wookie if you lay the same way always when in the hammock and want down, are my preferred style of UQ. Super simple, min adjustments, no air gaps.
If I’d known how much I don’t like having the suspension lines from a short quilt running up near my face I’d have gone w/ a different option, but then modding things has never been a problem for me. :grin:

I appreciate the info, I had seen SLD a while back but had forgotten about them. Their design looks like it would be simple to set up. For what I’m needing, it sounds like I will be sticking with down for my quilts. I think I’ve about halfway settled on a set from UGQ.